Ready or Not!
by AmazonTurk
Summary: Oh Shiva, what the hell have I done?" Kandi starts having second thoughts about asking Rude to move in with her...on they day he's moving in with her! Oh, what's an OC to do?


_**A/N: Remember when Kandi asked Rude to move in with her? Yeah, okay...here's that.**_

**_Disclaimer: (shoots disclaimer) I hate those things. Everyone knows I don't own Jack Shit._**

* * *

Andria rolled over and hit her alarm clock, silencing the sound of the Noahs Brother's singing her from her slumber. Moaning, she rubbed her eyes, trying to remember why she had set her alarm for a freaking Saturday.

And then it hit her, like the stack of clothes that fell off the top bunk onto her head. Squealing with joy, she lept from the clothes pile now on her bed and ran down the hall to her mother's room.

"Mom!" she called, busting opened the door and executing a flying tackle onto the bed. "Get up! It's moving in day!"

Kandi groaned from underneath her daughter's weight. "No," she grumbled. "We already did that. We're moved in. Sleep."

Andria rolled her eyes. "No, _Mom_," she said, yanking the covers back to reveal a white wife beater and black silk boxers and legs that really, _really_ needed to be shaved. "Today is the day that Daddy Rude is moving in with us!"

Kandi rolled over onto her back and reached for the blankets, stopping mid-movement. "W-what?" she squeaked. She cleared her throat. "That's today?!"

"Yep!" Andria said happily, scrambling off the bed. "I'm gonna take a shower and get ready. He should be here in about an hour, so you need to get one, too. Oh, and Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Shave your legs," Andria told her, wrinkling her nose. "I know you're an Amazon and all that, but...really, it's just gross."

Kandi stared after her daughter as she made her way back down the hall to her bathroom. She climbed out of bed and began tossing the covers back up in a valiant attempt to make them up. But considering her mind was a million miles away, it ended up looking worse than when she had been in it.

Heading into her bathroom, she glared at herself in the mirror. Her place was the way she wanted it. Everything was just as she and Andria had arranged it when they first moved in. It was a girl's pad, but not girly. It was hip and cool and oh so them. And now, she had ruined it by inviting a breastless member of the species to cohabitate with them.

"Oh Shiva, what the hell have I done?" she asked, stripping off her clothes and climbing into the shower. She ran her hands over her legs and cringed before she reached for her razor.

"Okay, it's not so bad," she mumbled as she showered. "I mean, he pretty much lives here anyway, right? He's not hairy, so I don't have to worry about him clogging up the drain. That's good. He's pretty neat and tidy, almost anally so. Yeah...that's not bad."

Rinsing her hair, she nodded. "I can deal with this," she said, wrapping herself up in a towel and grabbing another one for her hair. "Rude and I are compatible. We've been together for nearly ten years. We have a solid relationship. We're both adults. Living together is the logical next step in our relationship, because we sure as hell ain't ready for mar--mah...maaaahahaha..."

Kandi stuck her toothbrush in her mouth so she wouldn't have to say the word. Instead, she continued her monologue internally. _Anyway, we're not ready for_ that_, so living together is good. It makes more sense for us to have one apartment. And mine's bigger. Besides, Andi's thrilled about it. She loves Rude and he adores her. Yeah, I can do this. I can so do this! This is gonna be great!_

Throwing on a pair of shorts and a tank top, she slipped on her flipflops and headed out into the kitchen. Andi was sitting at the bar, eating a bowl of cereal. Kandi gave her a high five and grabbed a bagel and cream cheese out of the fridge.

"This is gonna be great!" Andria said with a grin. "I can't wait for us all to be together all the time! I mean, I know he's not Daddy, but..."

"Andi, don't worry about that," Kandi said, smearing the cream cheese over the freshly toasted bagel. "Your dad knows you love him, okay? And Rude's the only father you've ever known. Zack's cool with this."

"You sure?" Andria asked nervously. "Because I love Daddy and I don't want to hurt his feelings or make him think I replaced him."

"How can you replace someone you never knew?" Kandi asked quietly, taking a small bite of her breakfast.

Andria looked down into her cereal bowl and nodded. "Yeah," she replied softly. "But, you know, I kinda feel like I know him. With all the stories you and Aunt Ak and Uncle Reno tell about him. I sometimes wish there was a way to know what might have been."

"Things would be different, that's for sure," Kandi answered. She smiled. "But hey, we've got it pretty good now, right? No worries. Today's a good day, right?"

"Right!"

They heard the retinal scanner beep and the door open, revealing a stack of boxes and the top of a bald head. The boxes hit the floor and a pair of sunglasses and a grin greeted them. "Hey."

Kandi felt her stomach knot at the sight of the boxes. This was real. This was happening. She shook her head and grabbed her keys. "I can't do this," she said as she rushed out the door, leaving her daughter and her boyfriend stunned in her apartment.

* * *

This was becoming too frequent of a thing. When things got difficult or she needed comforting, she always came here. She shouldn't be seeking solace in the dead. She had a living, breathing boyfriend and daughter that loved her and would do anything to help her. Yet, she always came here, staring out over the cliff to the city, hand grasping the hilt of his sword until he inevitably showed up.

She knew where to find him if she needed him and he had never disappointed her.

And he never would.

Kandi felt him before she saw him, a warm smile forming on her lips as his presence took his place next to her. "Do you ever get tired of fixing my problems, Zack?" she asked, turning to look at him.

He opened his arms and she went straight to them, relishing the feel of his embrace around her. She really did miss him. More than she ever would have realized.

_"What are you doing?"_ he asked against her hair, rubbing soothing circles on her back. _"You're going to ruin this."_

"I know," she said, her voice cracking. "But I can't do this."

_"Why?"_

She shook her head. "It's too weird," she whispered. "It's too..."

_"Permanent?"_

"Yes!" she exclaimed, pulling back to look at him. "That's it! Before, he had his place, I had mine. Now, it's..._ours_. And that's just too close to something else."

Zack gently knocked her chin with his knuckle. _"Still not the marrying type, huh?"_ he chuckled.

"Uh, yuck."

_"Well, it's not like a step closer to it or anything,"_ he told her plopping down on the ground and pulling her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. _"I mean, nothing would make me happier than to see you and Rude get married and be a family with Andi and have a little boy and name him Zack."_

Kandi rolled her eyes. "Shiva, got my whole life planned out, do ya, Zack?" she asked.

He grinned. _"Yours and Cloud's,"_ he replied. "_But Cloud is finally doing what I want him to, unlike_ you_. He finally told Tifa he loved her and scored with her. Only took him freakin' fifty years."_

"Hey, we've done the whole 'I love you's' and sex is so not the issue," she said defensively. Zack rolled his eyes. "What is it you want for me, Zack?"

_"To be happy,"_ he answered nuzzling her neck. _"To let yourself be happy. To love and be loved. I know it's hard for you."_ He lifted her chin with his fingertips. _"I know. If anyone knows, it's me. But you and Rude have been together for way longer than we even knew each other while I was alive. The man is crazy about you."_

She smiled. "I know," she told him. "I'm pretty nuts about him myself."

_"Then why is this so hard for you?"_ he asked.

She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I'm afraid," she whispered.

_"You're afraid of nothing,"_ he told her encouragingly. _"Come on, you're braver than you think. You..."_

"I'm afraid I'm not good enough to be more than just a casual fuck!" she interrupted loudly.

Zack stared at her in shock. _"Kandi..."_

"It's true," she explained, wiping her eyes. "Guys paid me to fuck me, Zack. Even you did on a couple occasions."

_"You were young. A lot of girls did what they had to, just to get by,"_ he told her, stroking her hair. _"There's no shame in survival. And Rude knows about that. No worries."_

"But I'm not the kind of girl you take home to Mom and Dad," Kandi whispered. "Let alone the kind you settle down with and have kids with."

_"I had a kid with you."_

"Unintentionally."

Zack shook his head and pressed their foreheads together. _"Still happened, and I'm proud of that fact,"_ he said with a grin. _"And for the record, I showed you and Andi to Mom and Dad. They think you're a pretty awesome woman and Andria is the most beautiful child on the Planet."_

Kandi couldn't stop a smile from coming to her lips. "Really?" she asked. "You did that?"

_"SOLDIER's honor," _he said, crossing his heart. He rubbed his nose against her's. _"You gonna be okay?"_

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah," she said with a smile. "I think so."

_"Good,"_ he said, planting a quick kiss to her lips. _"Don't fuck this up."_

Kandi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah," she grumbled as he laughed and faded back to the Lifestream. "Stupid ghost."

* * *

Rude stood on the top of what was supposed to be his new apartment building. Kandi had left as soon as he had arrived and hadn't come back since. That was over five hours ago. He and Andi had gone out looking for her, but with no results. Finally, they came back to the apartment hoping she had returned, to find the place just as empty as they had left it.

He should have known she wasn't ready for this type of step. Kandi was not a commitment person. She was loyal, yes; but she always wanted a way out. Him moving in blocked off her way out. And he should have known that.

"Don't jump, you have so much to live for."

Rude turned around to see his red-streaked girlfriend leaning against the building, arms crossed and smirking. "Hey," he said, stuffing his hands in his jeans and going over to her. "Where have you been?"

"Thinking," she answered, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around him. "Sorry I bailed earlier."

Rude nodded and returned the embrace. "Sorry I brought boxes over," he replied.

"Yeah," she said drawing in a breath. "I, uh, got rid of those. Hope you don't mind."

He shook his head. "Nah," he answered. "I should have known you weren't ready for this big of a step. It won't be hard to get my lease back anyway."

"Uh, no," Kandi said with a grin. "I mean, I unpacked them and got rid of them. Recycled them actually. Also, I called some movers to get the rest of your stuff over here. Then I gave my key to your old landlord." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a wad of gil. "And I got your security deposit. Well, less a couple of bucks. I got myself a coffee earlier."

Rude looked down at her in question. "Wait, you mean all my stuff is...here?" he asked. "All of it?"

"Every last thing," she answered, her smile widening. "Well, except for that ratty old recliner. I gave that to Best Intentions."

Rude's face fell. "That was my favorite chair," he grumbled.

Kandi rolled her eyes. "You'll get over it," she said, taking his hand. "Come on. Let's go home. Andi's ordering pizza."

Rude grinned. "I'm still officially pissed about the recliner," he said, dropping a kiss to her lips. "But I'm glad we did this."

"Me too," she said truthfully as they made their way back to their apartment. She wrapped her arm around his waist and squeezed him. "I love you, Rude."

He winked. "Love you, too."

* * *

_**A/N: Yay. They're moved in. Finally! From Valentine's day to May and they just get moved in? Sheesh! Anyway...yeah. Oh, and did anyone catch the shameless plug for the story I'm co-writing with dantesdarkqueen and teh maniac? MWAH HA HA HA! Review if you like.**_


End file.
